Nelly and Don Smith of Seattle have been having a long
holiday - and honeymoon! - in Paris, France, and
surrounding parts of Europe and they made room in their
busy schedule to attend a Café Metropole Club
meeting on the Champs-Elysées today - Saturday -
which explains why the dateline above is not the regular
'Club' day of Thursday.

As well as having a Web site called Visit Paris, Don is a
photographer and he agreed to show up to take photos, so
all of us could be famous for the regulation 15
seconds.

Despite the lack of an actual 'café' in which to
meet, today's session was extra informal as
well as short because it occurred just before I began my
'artistic' contribution to today's 'Faites de la Peinture
sur les Champs-Elysées' competition, which is also
featured in this issue.

A 'first' Club meeting on the
Champs-Elysées for Nelly and Don, but not their
first time on the avenue.

Nelly enjoyed the 'action' of the Champs-Elysées,
especially as she is a bona-fide 'Parisienne.' She said, as
much as she now prefers Seattle; it is a bit more sedate
than Paris. Nelly and Don told me something about the rest
of their schedule; but it sounded like 'The 15 Countries In
60 Days Marathon Visit' and details of it have escaped
me.

Don was packing a very huge camera with a bazooka-like
lens. With the ambient background noise I couldn't hear if
it was working. If it was, some of Don's photos may turn up
here in following editions; but if not, they will be on his
own Web site - perhaps very soon.

I just completed my 6th trip to Paris this May, after a
three day week-end in London first and a ride on the
Eurostar - fantastic; second class was just fine.

First, I've got to say the weather was the best ever for
this trip. Only one day of light rain and 70 degrees the
rest of the time. We hit the country-side this time, going
to Versailles - where the Fire Department had either a
parade or a protest going on while we were there - and
another day to Ecouen to visit the chateau.

In both cases, we just spent time in their
respective gardens instead of shelling out the francs to go
inside. I must say I was more impressed by the chateau at
Ecouen than Versailles, it looked more livable. Both cities
- villages? - were interesting to walk around, looking at
the blend of old and new architecture.

As far as your 'Club' is concerned, count me in! I'll be
back next spring and look forward to meeting you and other
club members then. I have a feeling I just missed you on
the Pont des Arts on the 15th.

And Ric Says:

Readers often have the jump on me for new things. I've
yet to try the tunnel or the Eurostar, and I've never
visited the Château at Ecouen - ordered built by Anne
de Montmorency, and now the National Renaissance Museum -
which is just up the Route Nationale 16 from Saint-Denis,
or can be reached by train from Gare du Nord, with a bit of
a walk.

My notes tell me the reason we didn't run into each
other on the Pont des Arts on 15. May, is because Herb
Malsman and I checked it out a day later, on Sunday, 16.
May. We were close though.